Beneath the Veil

Beneath the Veil Campaign

Story Premise

Characters

MARIGOLD SMYTH – Jayne plays a human cleric named Marigold Smyth. Marigold was born and raised in Azumire to the noble Smyth family bloodline. An only child, she was pampered in her youth, always receiving the best of the best. Marigold wanted for nothing. She was taught by her father, a powerful business and political figure, to follow Zilchus, a god of wealth, power, and exploitation. During the day she stood as a proud public figure of the town and at night she helped her father with deals, political schemes, trades, and more. Marigold really believed this was a normal part of the “art” of the deal – any opportunist would do the same, but something in the back of her mind nudged at her that something wasn’t quite right.

After a stunning and unforgettable experience, she began to cross the wall to the poor side of the city in the dark of night, stealing some goods from the storehouse and leaving it on the steps of random houses, unsure what would be the best thing to do. It was her time here where she met Danion, a paladin of Trithereon. Her wealth started to disgust her. The overflowing food on her dinner table was far too much. Her God, her father, her friends, were responsible for the deaths of innocent lives through their own selfishness and greed. And so was she.

Committed to change her ways, she renounced her God and took on that of Trithereon, the one that Danion himself worshipped. This did not come without consequence from Zilchus, however. Her father publicly denounced her, throwing her into the streets of the poor with the thick words of, “You are no daughter of mine,” as he stripped her of her money and left her with nothing. Marigold, at that moment, made a vow to never let riches and power take hold of her again. She would live a modest life, and fight for the rights of her new neighbors and peers.This became a challenge, however, when she found out her best friend, Cecelia, had fallen below the veil.

RUSH BRINKERY- Spook plays a gnome sorcerer named Rush. Rush was born into a well-off Gnome family full of successful and reputable engineers; the Brinkery lineage spawned the most talented inventors and tinkerers in Seddorea. However, at age 30, Rush began exhibiting telltale signs of a natural magic user. His family was disgusted and forced him into engineering anyway; they did not report Rush’s powers to the authorities and restricted him from developing or using them completely. Not learning to use his powers proved to be more troublesome for Rush’s engineering career. Magic would often seep from the young gnome and into his works with chaotic results, earning him the title “Rush the Dervish.” To his family’s horror and shame, Rush was shuffled to the “Quality Assurance” department of the Engineer’s Guild. After meeting the rest of the party in local taverns, Rush was introduced to Charybdis, an Elvish crone versed in the arcane ways. Charybdis happily embraced Rush as a fellow magic-user and taught him more about his abilities and how to better control them.

His greatest creation to date is his clockwork ermine familiar Jerusha. Originally intended to be a simple toy, the tiny weasel was brought to life when upon winding it up for the first time a spark of arcane energy flew into the clockwork from his hand. The whirring creature is often a voice of mature reason and serves to keep Rush grounded. “Brinx” is a nickname given to Rush by Jerusha.

His most notable quirk next to his insufferable flirtation habit is his pension for speaking in song lyrics. How many can you pick up on? Tweet @DragonSpooker #DJDervish with the song titles/artists you recognize during each session!

JASH WYNDSTRIKER – Matt plays a human fighter/rogue named Jash. Jash Wyndstriker has earned his reputation by being the premier prize fighter in (forgot the name of the town lol, just add it in). The small, underground arena is always packed to the walls with people on his fight nights, as he always puts on a show and takes his opponents out in style. He is also the most sought after mercenary in town whenever any sort of nefarious deed need be done. Stealing, kidnapping, even murder, as long as the coin is good he’s up for the job. Not much is known about Jash, as he mostly surrounds himself with women and wine, and doesn’t react kindly to questions about his personal life.

FISEK WEINGARTEN- Satchtmo plays a gnome druid named Fisek. Fisek believes in a society which can coexist as part of nature. He views the city above the clouds as dystopic, and wants an option that isn’t sure death survival below- and wants that option available to anyone else. He is a studied agricultural biologist, but given that that means using chemicals and possibly spells and prayers to grow mushrooms faster for the systematically starving lower class, he sought out more meaningful work. He set off on a thesis to study the conditions under the veil, and upon starting his exploratory scientific experience, quickly came to the conclusion that something about the ecosystem seems terribly hostile. And so he took up extension on his assignment, reporting only that further data were needed- and so he continued his obsession in studying the world under the veil, hiring fishermen as guides and bodyguards and became a bit of a hunter/gatherer himself.

DALETH NARIM – Shaggit plays a human fighter named Daleth. Born in Cardril in Seddorea, Daleth was a skinny, quiet kid who rolled with the many punches of life. He joined the military at a young age, less out of a sense of duty and responsibility and more to work off a debt his family incurred with Cardrils nobility. He followed orders and eventually ended up in Azumire, manning the walls and doing various tasks from those in charge. Upon learning of the failure of the Helping Hand expedition on a secretive mission, Daleth was tagged to bring some of his years of military experience to any future mission Beneath the Veil. He is a short human and not very muscular, known mostly for his Eagle Eye goggles that are often given to riflemen and sharpshooters. There is an air of naivety about him. He isn’t afraid to share his expertise when required but is otherwise underwhelming in any social sense.

Obituaries

EMILIA PAGE (FULL BACKSTORY) –

Emilia grew up in the lower altitudes and slums of Ventis (northern Sedorrea city). Her family was poor as she had to share with four older siblings, all brothers. Her mother worked as a whore and her father was part of a crew on a transport dirigible. His work schedule was such that he was only home for a week every few months. Her eldest brother, Danny, fell into the role of taking care of the rest of them. Because she was the youngest and only girl, she was often forgot about and left struggling to keep up with her much stronger, older brothers. She wasn’t a pretty girl, which didn’t help her advantage of being noticed by anyone else around town. She mostly skirted the coattails of her siblings, staying unnoticed and invisible.

The few times her father came home, he would bring her back small trinkets he found during his time at different ports. One of the trinkets he brought back was a carved figurine of a fisherman, one of the most prestigious and dangerous jobs in Sedorrea. She kept it sacred as she dreamed of that kind of recognition and power. She knew it was a rough and dangerous job, and she also knew a girl like her could never be brave enough to delve under the veil. She kept her dream secret. Emilia idolized her father despite him being a mediocre dad, but the attention he gave her when he did come home meant the world to her and more.

As time went on, all her brothers fell into their own apprenticeships (mostly journeymen and tradesmen) and she was the last one left in the household. Her mother did not take care or encourage her, so she started to explore what she wanted to do with her life. Every morning, she would stare at the fisherman figurine and dream of a life exploring beyond the veil, surviving on her own, and bringing back precious fish to the cities. She spent most her days trying her hand at more practical skills such as baking and sewing, but it was to her dissatisfaction. Had she even tried to fish before? Could she handle the harsh environments? It had never truly crossed her mind to try. After many failed attempts at other professions, she finally let herself wonder. ‘Why not?” She made the decision to train to be a female fisherman. Her natural talents became clear the second she ventured below the veil. The amount of time stalking behind her siblings made her quick and quiet, and she was able to traverse the jungle more or less unnoticed. She still wasn’t great at fishing, but the moment her spear caught a fish for the first time a burning desire to do more welled up inside her. The power she felt within her was nothing she had experienced before.

As Emilia’s self-training began, a boy by the name of Nic took notice of her as she made her daily walk from the city towards the veil. He immediately began courting her. Though Emilia wasn’t pretty, neither was he. Nic was on the larger and plain side but had a heart of gold. They made a perfect match. The amount of attention and affection she received from him overwhelmed her as she was never used to it, and she immediately fell head over heels. She forgot about her training. They married quickly and she put her dreams of becoming a female fisherman aside. Nic was a baker, and just like his bread he was warm, loving, and soft (sorry I just really wanted to say that sentence). He treated he like a princess and soon after marriage she became pregnant and had her first child, Garrick. Life couldn’t have been more rich.

But all at once, she felt the weight of the world drop on her like a dark mist. Suddenly, her life was not her own. She looked at her husband and her child, and felt a deep emptiness she could not fathom. She had everything a woman could want. A father who was there for her and her son. A beautiful boy. A life she thought was good and whole. Yet the life drained from her like a plug let loose and all of a sudden, she was drowning. It had all happened so quickly, like a dream. One moment she was living at home, and the next she was sitting here with this boy and his father. It was entirely too much. She could not explain the feeling to Nic no matter how hard she tried. She could see him struggle to help. After a few months of unrelenting depression and confusion, Nic attempting to keep her happy to no avail, and a mind slipping into a dark place, she slipped away in the night, leaving a note for her husband that read,

Dearest Nic,

I feel certain this darkness in me is growing. I am doing what seems the best thing to do. Just know it is the overwhelming love I have received from both you and Garrick that has kept me alive these past few months. You have given me the greatest possible happiness I could achieve. I know you won’t agree with what I am doing, but you deserve a life untainted. Take this opportunity and raise our son to follow his heart. It is a selfish philosophy, but the most true one. I must in return follow this philosophy, for I do not think I could live another day without doing what has been in my heart since the beginning. These cities are claustrophobic. The air is thin. Between life and death, I choose life. May we meet again on happier terms.

Your love,

Emilia

She made her way to Azumire to escape, leaving behind the two most important people in her life to pursue a life of uncertainty and, of course, fish. Taking up the spear and net again, she began her daily trainings until she felt comfortable enough to seek out freelance work in the city, gathering fish for the local taverns. More people became aware of the new fisherman in town has her skills increased, and Emilia started to feel that burning she once felt in her chest from years before. It was enticing, and very addicting.

From birth, Danion had no choice but to be a performer. Luckily for him, he wouldn’t have it any other way. Born into the Normington family, the runners of the Flying Fuccinellos Traveling Circus Troupe, he grew up learning how to run the business so that one day he could take over to keep the tradition alive. From an early age, Danion was a marvel of physical prowess and fitness, who also loved being in front of a crowd. He started taking part in the “Clash of the Colossi” segments of the circus, which were battle royal fights known more for their over the top entertainment and antics than their realism. The group was extremely tight knit, and Danion viewed all his fellow performers as family. He prided himself on giving the normal folk of the realm some much needed reprieve from the strict laws and those who enforce them, not to mention all the hardships The Veil could inflict among the populous.

After the death of his parents, Danion took over the reigns of running the circus, which he did with grace and direction. Everything was operating smoothly, the business was profitable, and the people loved it whenever they made a stop in their city.

Unfortunately, during one of the Colossi exhibition fights, disaster struck. One of the combatants broke Danions neck (a suplex gone awry), killing him….or so everyone thought. The troupe took Danion to a nearby temple, and left him at the altar, as they had to scramble to try to make it to their next destination. Ultimately, without a solid leader and the assumed death of Danion weighing heavy on their hearts, the troupe eventually became defunct, and disbanded.

Sometime later, Danion awoke in the temple. Accompanying his new found powers, and the belief that he was resurrected, is a voice in his head. It claims to be the voice of his new God, who tells him that HE is in fact now a demi-God amongst men, though he doesn’t FULLY believe it. But he can’t deny the fact that he does have new powers and that he was pretty sure he was dead and now lives. Maybe the voice is just a product of blunt force trauma to the head?… Or maybe it really is his new god talking through him…

His main motive now is to get the circus back together and traveling again, but the voice makes him do other things as well, telling him that if he does not follow orders he will become a lifeless husk once more, leaving him unable to complete his dream. He doesn’t know if that is true, but he doesn’t want to risk taking that chance. Stronger than this voice in his head is an “urge” inside of him to seek out evil and erase it from the realm. Acting as almost an undeniable compass at times, it pushes and pulls Danion to certain places. Since becoming a new member of his adventuring group, he’s felt more “whole” than he has since the accident. And the closer he gets to the veil, the more resolute he feels. But traveling around doing “godly deeds” ties into him searching for new and past performers to enlist into his new troupe.

Born to a well respected warrior of the tribes below the veil named Vorgak Lumod and a captive slave human woman who had been one of a few survivors of a dirigible wreck, Nudnik had it rough. His birth wasn’t planned. His mother was passed through the tribe, tortured, raped and just generally used in unimaginable ways. The only suspicion he is Vorgak’s true son is due to similarities in stature Nudnik would eventually become. Of course through childhood this was never acknowledged. Nudnik was simply the “accident” of the tribe.

When he was four, his mother was slain brutally in front of him. Being so young, Nudnik had no clue as to the reason why. He would later deduce it either had something to do with an attempted escape or worse yet, the opposite. That she was so used and broken she had become useless to the lustful and savage desires of the tribesmen. At four years old, however, it made no sense and just was a fact of his life.

Nudnik grew up to be tall and was kept severely malnourished. He was always given scraps of food and generally ignored. Forced to do patrols, hunt and stand on guard for days on end. To the tribe he was just a thing to be used much like his mother for he wasn’t a full orc and so was “weaker”, less than them. Life from 4 to 12 years of age just entailed surviving on his part. The human side of him had a curious intellect that disgusted the others if observed so this aspect of self was kept hidden, secretive.

At 13, Nudnik decided he’d be better left to his own. He had heard stories of cities far above the clouds in the mountains, which was why the tribe, while being constantly nomadic never ventured upwards. With the lands below the veil being savage and unforgiving, he had learned to fight and was constantly (and secretly) amassing a wealth of knowledge that’d help him survive alone.

One night he escaped with a spare Battleaxe and ventured into the clouds of the mountainside. He emerged above the veil and looked upon the city of Azumire. Naturally being a half orc and an outsider the Guardsmen shot at him and generally wished to kill him. This became a daily interaction. Nudnik would try various means of approaching, usually without his weapon to try and convince them he was friendly. At night he’d hole up in one of the many caves for shelter and safety. During one of these nights he came across a dwarfs pick, which is why he wields a battleaxe and pick in his offhand.

Naturally some people left Azumire to either fish or mine from the surrounding lands. Nudnik would follow these men and women from a distance, and attempt to glean whatever he could that’d help improve his relations with the Guardsmen and combat his outsider status with the citizenry.

I imagine it is this phase that can be worked on with either you Jayne or Satch regarding becoming your friend and thus getting accepted in Azumire. He became a generalized laborer in the city, and thus over the next 5ish years, he stopped looking malnourished and became a muscle bound ugly fuck. His residence? A storage building for the Drunks Eyrie Tavern, the pub with a harsh reputation. The owner decided to offer a small space for him to live under the pretense Nudnik would protect the wares.

From here, his friendship with the group probably would come through either Jayne’s char or Satch’s. As a trusted bodyguard, he regards all members of the party as a family unit and while he cares not for law or chaos, good or evil, he has learned to trust them and offer his expertise regarding the lands below the veil. And after being a part of Azumire, his feelings regarding his orc kin turned fully sour. Especially after it became fully realized just what the situation with his nameless mother was. Orcs are his second favored enemy. He likes Azumire and the culture therein. He knows he has value to offer the group in terms of generally staying alive. For it’s all about surviving with Nudnik Lumod.